


The Cold Space Between Us

by Lunarium



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Older Characters, Retirement, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 15:05:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15464058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: Two retired old enemies meet again.





	The Cold Space Between Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Burning_Nightingale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burning_Nightingale/gifts).



> Thank you so much to my beta for giving this a quick look through!

“You’ve survived fires and subzero climates, evaded my death-rays, and conquered every obstacle I’ve meticulously set up in my former headquarters at Mount Domel, and in the end what defeats the invincible Galactic Hawk? A heart attack.”

The elderly man, the cunning foe formerly known as The Copper Comet, sat back while wearing a small grin. But there was no malice or satisfaction about him, and there was no sense of danger that normally came with being in his presence, as if the wine glass was about to burst into a million tiny killer ants. No sense of being cornered. The room they dined in was as wide as a baseball field.

Perhaps that was to throw off The Galactic Hawk, or Nathaniel Sparks as he was now more commonly known, for rumors of his alter ego’s death had spread throughout the world two decades back. In truth, he had merely slipped away into the shadows, forgotten by nearly all. That was perhaps worse than death. 

But The Copper Comet had not forgotten him, yet the old adversity was nowhere notable in his eyes. He was merely amused at the irony, that something so small and precious had been what taken down his enemy after years of explosions and drama. The eyes that watched Nathaniel now bore no ill will against him, but the strangest of fondness, and perhaps also nostalgia, which Nathaniel found curious. 

But age had treated Morden Nox well, even if the characteristic red hair had greyed and thinned. Nearly bald now and twice the size of his youth, he sat with all the air of a man pampered in luxury. 

“How did you find me?” Nathaniel asked grimly. He studied their surroundings. Nox lived the life of an emperor. For all of his years stopping the mastermind from conquering the world, he had still managed to acquire half the world’s riches. People loved a good villain, especially a generous one. 

Meanwhile, Nathaniel suffered illness after illness; it accumulated in him nursing four new vessels to help reroute new blood into his heart. His only consolation was a Get-Well-Soon card from some faraway grade school who remembered the old hero. The school couldn’t afford sending flowers, but the children had compensated by each drawing one in the card. How lucky he had felt then. 

Meanwhile Morden had spent every night eating the fattiest salmon steaks with a tall glass of wine and a good personal show.

Nathaniel was taken to one of Morden’s personal cruise ships. The curtains alone were lavishly decorated, gold-trimmed, each piece hand embroidered. The plush seating of the white chairs had a firmness that told him they were regularly replaced, keeping up the appearance of pristine perfection. 

Of course. Morden was genuinely and generally loved among the land. For a man who wished to rule, he had eventually found his calling in the least heinous method, the path all crooks took: in generosity. Lavish hospitals, orphanages, and schools with money, and you were a hero, no matter if you had a fifty-foot laser death-ray built in the mountains. 

Meanwhile, what did The Galactic Hawk offer but school and hospital visits to the young? He didn’t even have a cool gadget for the kids to play with, and all of his weapons were too dangerous near school grounds. He had hoped just standing there and giving a good speech about the importance of education and proper manners would be enough to win them over. Guess not. Where had that gotten him when his heart gave out on him in his studio? 

Some things were just not fair in life. 

“Not hard sniffing a hero,” Morden answered. “I’ve made it my duty to know your true name, where you lived, where your alter ego worked—I’m sure you remember the mysterious blue roses on your birthday.” 

“I remember, Morden.” 

“Keeping tabs on your whereabouts through your social media wasn’t too difficult,” he concluded with a simple shrug. “My youngest grandniece was able to locate you within five minutes.” 

“Was that the top agent spy you sent after me?” Nathaniel asked, for want of some amusement. 

“While still in her bunny jammies,” Morden affirmed with fondness. He pushed a plate of some exotic-looking animal towards him. “Please, try the mahi-mahi. Lean meats and fish are good protein sources for a healing heart.” 

Nathaniel gave a curt nod but didn’t move. There was no reason for Morden to kill him, unless he still harbored ancient malice and grudge from many battles gone by. He had no motive for killing him other than to finally defeat the Galactic Hawk—his successes with the public were victory enough—but it didn’t stop Nathaniel from staring at the plate with some suspicion. 

He eventually pulled the plate towards himself. The fish’s face was ugly, but his days of chowing on fried anything while scanning the news on his live feed were over. 

“Why are you being this generous with me?” Nathaniel finally asked. 

“Because we are both getting on in age,” Morden said, “and it wouldn’t do to keep this fight going. 

“And you might not know, as I don’t wear my private life on the internet, but I have had a few adventures in the hospital myself. Now I’m just living in luxury until I put my head down for the final time.” 

His smile was warm, too warm, for the once-mad and cold villain of the mountain. Nathaniel noted the cane perched next to Morden on the table, then noted a medical bracelet around his wrist, then turned back to him. 

People change, and in Morden’s eyes sat a sadness Nathaniel understood well. He had memorized the Copper Comet’s family and allies. Knew the Nox family had lost one member in the past thirty years, someone Morden loved dearly. 

“I’m sorry for your daughter,” Nathaniel said. Sending a card at the time wasn’t feasible, even if Penelope was nothing like her father. The Galactic Hawk and Copper Comet intensely despised one another, and not even death of a kind and benevolent daughter could warm the distance between them. 

Morden nodded. “That was when I learned reaching out to the world through my inventions wasn’t…perhaps the best plan. That was when I turned towards becoming a philanthropist.” 

So in the end Penelope was the real hero. Just great. 

Who even needed the Galactic Hawk? 

He picked up the fork and took a bite out of the mahi-mahi, amazed by the sweet and tangy flavor of the sauce. He waited for the poison to set in, but it never came. 

“So why did it take you this long to reach out to me?” Nathaniel asked. 

“Why did you never seek me out after Penelope’s death?” Morden replied. “For that same reason. We drifted apart. I went my way. You went yours. I knew about your financial troubles, but I hesitated about contacting you. I knew how soured our relationship was, quite unfortunately. But I cannot ignore this. I know fully well how high hospital bills stack up, so I’m going to pay them in full, as a favor and a friend.” 

Nathaniel coughed, nearly choking on the fish. “You’re a dick, you know that?” 

Morden raised his hand. “I need nothing from it. Well, perhaps a hope that the cold space between us may grow warm in the years that pass by.” 

Nathaniel’s and his eyes met, both thinking of all the years, of fighting, the battles, the heated arguments, and the memories melded with affection. Morden had the luxury, but what did Nathaniel have? His entire life had always revolved around Morden Nox in one way or another. 

Nathaniel smiled. “Yeah, possibly. We could work on that.”


End file.
